Bonding Tribes
by SharetheBook
Summary: Hiccup is grown up, married to Astrid. Together they have three children, twin boys, Stoick and Finn, and a daughter, Hulda. Trouble with the Murderous Tribe finally has a chance to be solved. Hiccup wants to refuse the terms, but Hulda accepts. Hiccup is scared for her life, but Hulda is done backing down and being the new failure of Berk. -Better summary inside-
1. Chapter 1

A failure. That's what I am.

Dad is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third. Hero of Berk, Greatest Swordsman, Dragon Master.

Mom is Astrid Hofferson. Master Shieldmaiden, Leader of the Dragon Forces.

My older twin brothers are Stoick Haddock the Second, and Finn Haddock the Second. Both are widely known for how well they work with dragons and the people. They both are amazing craftsman, and they're everything dad has ever wanted.

Then there's me. The runt. The accident. Hulda Haddock. Named after some sorceress of legend. While my brothers got named after great vikings of blood.

I have not ridden a dragon, and I'm definitely not good with people. Nor am I able to handle any type of weapon or tool. All I can do is draw, cook, and make healing potions.

I do tire of being called a witch, and a disgrace. I am the punching bag of my age group, including my older brothers. I almost always cause dragons to go on a rampage when I study them, dad says its because they cannot sense me when I'm doing so, and that iss why they freak out once they notice me.

All I get from my parents are looks of dissatisfaction, pity, confusion, frustration. I try my best. Sometimes my potions cause fires or explosions, only once did they cause a flood.

I bored of healing the people of Berk. I hate the gossip, I hate having to tiptoe, I hate keeping my mouth shut, I hate knowing I have no future, and I hate the looks.

Because I'm the only person in the Hairy Hooligans Tribe who cannot ride dragons.

* * *

Today Hulda stayed in the house, and decided to mend tunics, and complete the rest of the house chores. Hiccup, Stoick, and Finn are getting ready for a chief gathering, while Astrid is going over possible threats and making sure the Berk Defenders and the Dragon Force are ready for anything in dad's absence.

Hulda, exhausted from being bullied, stayed in the emptiness of the house humming a small lullaby to herself. She quickly finish the repairs of the household clothing, moves to all the garments back into their respective chests, starting with her mothers and fathers. The auburn haired young adult heads up the stairs, and she can't stop herself from looking at her father's drawings. Curiosity killed the cat, and Hulda has accepted the fact that curiosity might kill her. She quickly puts the clothes away, and starts to thumb through the drawings.

Some are building designs, and mechanisms to make the easy life around Berk even easier. Others are new tail designs for Toothless, and the last are pictures of the family. There are a lot of Astrid and the twins, celebrating, riding their Deadly Nadders, wielding their weapons, and looking heroic. The twins are large and muscular, definitely bigger than Hiccup. The boys unknowingly take after Hiccup's father, only they have Astrid's blond hair and blue eyes. Stoick rides a dark green Nadder named Thrash, Finn rides a dark purple Nadder named Crash.

Frowning Hulda finds all the crumpled drawings of herself. She unknowingly takes after her father, only having her mother's round face, body very similar to her grandmother's, Valka. The girl has her father's hair, eyes, build, and mannerisms. In the current picture she is holding her eyes are downcasted, arms tightly drawn across her small bosom, entire body rigid, standing perfectly straight. Hulda's heart throbs with pain, knowing this is how her father sees her. A big disappointment.

All of the pictures she in a similar state. In some Hulda has fire behind herself, others the girl has her arms over her head, and tears falling from her face. Those pictures have water smudges in a few places from her father.

Trying to shake the feelings of failure, the young woman moves puts the drawn pictures into Hiccup's desk, with the rest. The top picture is one of her mother, the twins, and herself as a baby. In the current photo Hulda is smiling a large gummy grin.

Now intrigued, the girl sits in her father's desk chair, and begins to go through the drawer. There's a few of Toothless, a few of Stoick the Vast dancing with Valka. Hulda does not recognize the man dancing with her grandmother, but puts the photo on her lap with the others. She is surprised to see all of the drawings of a place she's never seen with the words Dragon's Edge in the bottom corner, and a ton of maps, and something called the Dragon's Eye.

Hulda finds more drawings of the family, and sees how she and the boys grew up in Hiccup's eyes. The twins got larger, and achieved more greatness, whereas she stop smiling as much, and hold her arms closer and closer to her body. There's a single photo of her and her dragon, Ashes. The written scratches in the corner read _She'll never fly._

Hulda sighs, hurt at how weak and pathetic she looks in her father's drawings.

"And what in Odin's name do you think you are doing young lady!?" The deep voice of the chief bellowing at her causes her to jump up and drop all the papers, which fall around her on the floor.

Hulda automatically bows her head, and wraps her arms around herself. She fears that if she opens her mouth to explain herself, she'll just get in even more trouble, like all the other times. She knows she's in the wrong, which is the main reason the green eyed girl decides not to fight back.

Hiccup can't hold back the growl that rumbles through his chest. The silence, the unexplained incidences, it really got on his nerves.

"Get out of my sight." He growls, causing Hulda to dash past him, down the stairs past her mother, past Toothless and Stormfly, and out the house. The young teen holds her breath to hold back the tears of frustration. As she walks down the streets the other vikings whisper about what she ruined now and shoot her glares.

Hulda pushes herself faster to the forest, just to get away from it all. She stayed in the house trying to prevent the whispers and the glares, but she quickly failed, again.

She trips and falls when she reaches the middle of the forest. The depression and anger taking complete control of her she stays on the cold hard ground. Hulda gasps in ragged breathes. "I should just leave. Just like I always plan to." Tears fall from the eyes of the chief's daughter. "I can't even be in the same room as him."

Back at the chief's house, his wife sighs as she climbs the stairs. "Hiccup, did you have to scare her away?"

Frustrated and feeling defeated, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third bends to pick up a few of the pictures off the floor, noticing they were old drawings he made of the family. "I don't know what to do with her Astrid! She makes a mess out of everything, she doesn't care about riding a dragon! Hulda will either just stands there, or scream in my face, acting like I just punched her in the gut!" He continues to clean up the drawings, and places them back in their designated spot.

"Well, maybe to her it feels like you did." The blonde says, helping her husband clean the mess her agitated daughter made.

Hiccup shoots Astrid a look. "And why on earth would she feel like that?" He demands, not understanding what his loving wife is getting at.

Astrid sighs, putting a hand on his cheek, forcing her exhausted husband to look in her eyes. "I'm not sure Hiccup, why did you feel like that at her age? It might be your name, but you're defiantly making sure your daughter feels like a hiccup."

He just stares at her, dumbstruck. "What- And why- How do I make her feel like that?" Hiccup demands.

The women just sighs at grown man, and sits on their bed. Patting the side for him to join her, Astrid says, "Maybe it is because you make a bigger deal out of her failures than accomplishments. And because of that, everyone else in the village does the same. Even our sons." The blonde wraps an arm around her husband's shoulders and he puts his face in his hands.

"I am a terrible father. No wonder why she doesn't talk to me!" Hiccup rubs his hands over his face finally letting his wrongly pointed anger go, and sits back up. "I should go find her, and apologize. Maybe have a talk with her, take her flying." Hiccup says smiling at his plan. He moves to get up as he finishes his sentence and is stopped when Astrid gently reminds him "But Hiccup, your daughter doesn't fly. Ashes is just a Smothering Smokebreath and will never grow large enough"

The Chief of Berk groans, having no idea what to do. His wife rubs his back with her heavily calloused hands. "Maybe just take her to the cove, and talk." Astrid suggests, knowing it'll be the best place for both of her loved ones to feel comfortable.

Hiccup leaves the house, and finds his daughter laying on the forest floor. Trying not to sigh out loud he offers his large hand towards the child's head. "Need help up?"

Hulda heard her father walking up to her. His metal foot creaks as he walks. She pushes herself up on her elbows, and grabs hold of his hand. Her father's hands are extremely calloused, like her mother's. Hulda's hands are soft and smooth, never seeing a hard day's labour.

The delicateness of his daughter's hands reminds him of how fragile she is. Hulda was born premature, like him. According to his mother, Valka, his daughter was born much earlier than he was. Unlike his boys, who were very late in their birth, so it is no surprise at how big and strong they are.

His little girl could hardly hold up anything larger than a dagger. Hulda would never be able to stand up for herself in a physical fight. Hulda's intelligence rallies her fathers, and Hiccup could only wish that one of his sons were as smart as his little girl. Honestly that's why he was so frustrated and yelled at Hulda. His idiotic sons ate up all of his patience, instead of helping him think of a plan to make a peace treaty with the Murderous Tribe, all they wanted to do was go to war. Neither of his sons understand the importance of peace.

Hiccup gently pulled Hulda to her feet, using his other hand to scratch the back of his head. Hulda trying to make this slightly less awkward and embarrassing, brushed off her clothes and asks "So...um...Dad, where is Toothless?" The girl really loved that dragon, and felt much more comfortable with the reptile around. She may suck at taming, training, and riding dragons, but she did generally love them.

"Oh, he went back to helping Fishlegs and Finn at the academy. The lesson's on how a dragon with a disability is still a fine dragon to ride. Toothless will probably get annoyed soon and come join us." Hiccup says, pride filling his voice with the topic of his dragon. Hulda silently wishes his voice would sound as proud when he spoke of her.

The two auburn head's begin to naturally walk towards the cove. Hiccup showed Hulda on her 10th birthday. He hasn't shown the twins in fear they'll turn it into a secret training grounds and ruin its beauty, but he knew his only daughter would appreciate it like he has.

Neither of them speak as they enter through the rock tunnel. Hiccup goes to sit on a rock by the water, and his daughter begins to climb a tree.

"Hulda, we need to talk." The grown man says in a defeated voice.

The young woman sighs, jumps down from the tree, only stumbling a bit. Hulda walks over to her father, eyes focused on the water. "About?"

"Well you. You need to join your tribe, get to work, help out." He says, eyes narrowed on the back of her head. "Do you want to be a bread making viking? We don't have many of those." Hiccup says, a little more quietly, remembering back into his youth when he said a similar sentence to his father.

The green eyed girl sighed, wrapping her arms around her small frame. "No dad, I do not want to be a bread making viking. I'm suppose to be the next healer when Valka decides to step down, you know that."

Her father runs his hand through his shaggy hair. "And is that what you want to be? The tribes next healer?"

Hulda shrugs, what she wants is to be the next Chief. The girl knows she can't voice this to anyone, and has already accepted her fate of being the healer. "Well I don't really have a choice."

Hiccup stares at her realizing she really doesn't want to replace his mother, which surprises him. "Then what do you want to be? You can tell me, I won't be upset." Hiccup asks, his own curiosity rearing its head.

Hulda tightens her arms around herself, trying to muster the courage to tell her father that all she wants to be is a viking he's proud to call his own, and not tell him what she really wants. "I guess...Anything other than who I am." She says to low for her father to hear.

"Pardon?" Hiccup asks, leaning towards her. When he doesn't get a response, the man sighs and takes a different approach. "Lets try this then, what do you not want to be?"

Hulda takes a deep breath and begins her rant. "What I do not want to be? Well that's easy, me! I do not want to be a failure, untalented, an academy dropout. I don't want my only talents to be cooking and potions!" Young and terrified green eyes meet older confused ones. Her volume increases until she's shouting. "I don't want to be punching bag, or Berk's pest, or THE TARGET FOR AX PRACTICE! I DON'T WANT TO BE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN'T RIDE A DRAGON, I DON'T WANT TO BE SO TERRIFIED TO GO IN PUBLIC, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK I'M CRAZY, BECAUSE I AM NOT CRAZY! I'M TIRED OF FEELING SO ALONE WHEN I'M ON AN ISLAND FULL OF PEOPLE!" Tears fall from her eyes, and the volume of her voice drops. "And I especially do not want to always be shaming you and mother. I am so tired of being the disappointment of the Haddock's dad. I don't want to be the runt of Berk. If I died, people would cheer."

Hiccup quickly stood up, walked over to his defeated daughter, and pulled her small frame to his. One arm wrapped around her back, the other holding her head to his chest. He looked to the sky, a tear sliding down his cheek, and he asked Odin to help his only daughter. The grown man had no idea of his daughter's true feelings, and is horrified to learn how similar they are to his feelings when he was a youth.

Hulda sobbed, damping her father's leather armor. She feels her energy escape her, and her knees buckle, but her father holds her up.

"I am not ashamed to be your father. I am very proud of the young woman you are growing into." Hiccup informs her with carefully calculated words, remembering some of the ways his father praised him. She begins to shake her head, making Hiccup hold on to her more tightly. "You are a better healer than Gothi, and you had no training. You've only had me to teach you to cook and you have surpassed me long ago." Hulda begins to push away from him, the only things he can compliment her on, are the traits she would be fine with losing. "You are extremely compassionate Hulda. You can't use a weapon because you do not want to hurt anyone. I couldn't use a weapon when I was a youth either. I made machines, mechanism, and I would also create fires and damage all over Berk. I- I understand Hulda!" Hiccup exclaims, not knowing what else to say. The man feels his heart breaking for his daughter.

"But I'm not the perfect Chief! I cannot grow a beard, and people think that's weird." Hiccup said, trying to lighten the mood, and let his daughter see that he's not so perfect either.

His daughter pushes herself from Hiccup's grasp, and makes eye contact with him. "No dad. You went from a screw up to a hero! I went from being a viking with a wide future to a screw up! And how can you blame me!? You always knew who you were, and your destiny. You're Chief! Stoick is the new blacksmith, Finn is in charge of the dragon academy, and they're both soon to be married to lovely wives. Also, my brother's are fighting for the Chief title! So what does that make me? It somehow makes me bad dad, and then I didn't want to use weapons, and I over think dragons and I don't even have a chance to participate for my blood right!" Hulda says, feeling completely crushed.

Instead she pulled at her loose hair, feeling like she was about explode. She's done her best to explain how she feels to both of her parents how she feels, but they still don't get it. The green eyed girl was marrying age, but she had zero suitors, and her only career option is to take over being the healer after Valka finally retires. Healing was gross work, and she had more to do with her life than stay in a tiny hut healing ungrateful people.

The chief puts his hands up defeated. "Listen Hulda, you are going to make a great healer. And you're allowed to run for chief, you are my blood and a very intelligent woman." Hiccup saw his daughter's crushed eyes fill with disbelief. "In fact, why don't you come to the Gathering Of The Chief's with your brothers and I? We do have to take a boat, their Nadder's can't handle a flight that long. But Thrash and Crash will be coming with the boys, and Toothless with me."

Hulda's body fills with excitment. This is the first time her father ever invited her to a Gathering. She clasps her hands together and looks at her father with the baby doll eyes, hoping he would let her bring her our dragon.

"Oh, could you not?" The auburn haired male sighs, knowing he'll cave to that face. He's already beginning to regret his offer. Hiccup's little girl belongs at home, where she'll be safe, and not at a Chief Gathering. "Fine! Fine you are bring the Smothering Smokebreath…" Hiccup said sighing, frustrated that his daughter's only dragon companion is such a pest.

"Oh thank you daddy!" Hulda says jumping to give her father a hug, causing a large smile to spread over Hiccup's face. "I have to go find Ashes now!" The girl starts heading out of the Cove, quickly turning around to give her father what she hoped was encouraging words. "I promise dad, Ashes won't be a problem!" Auburn hair trails after the girl as she goes to find her best friend.

Hiccup sighs, relieved when he sees his dragon enter where his daughter just made her exit, and that he was finally able to brighten his only daughter's spirits. "Hey bud… W are going to have to be extra careful at the Gathering. I invited Hulda to tag along, and of course now Ashes is coming along." The large black dragon sighs dramatically, and flops onto the ground. "I hear you." Hiccup sighs, laying down beside his friend.

Both of the green eyed Haddock's have a large lopsided grin gracing their faces.

But this is only the beginning...


	2. Chapter 2

Hulda runs towards the forge, where her older brother Stoick is currently sharpening his axe. The twins are large in size, reaching the height of their tall father, with muscle masses that's somewhere between both of their namesakes, Stoick Haddock the Vast and Finn Hofferson the Fearless. Stoick keep his blond hair in a tight braid down his back, wearing brown leather armor, covered in spikes made of gronkle iron.

Stoick's axe was also made of gronkle iron, as of most of the weapons on Berk nowadays.

As the Haddock girl reaches the forge Hulda is hit with heat. The green eyed girl is wearing her favourite and most worn outfit, a long sleeved purple tunic, dark brown linen leggings, with black knee pads sewn onto them, and skirt similar to her grandmother's, Valka, leather with yak hair under layer that reaches her left ankle, but only mid thigh on the right side. Hulda wears black boots, with no fur or any decorations, and a black belt to hold up her skirt. The young woman never tied her hair back, always letting it flow loosely down her body, reaching her lower back, no helmet or headband to pull her fringe out of her face. Her pale skin is covered in scattered freckles, and a few moles.

Hulda finally reaches the sultry smithy, and pokes her head in the door to see her brothers large frame. "Stoick? Stoick!" She calls, getting her older brothers attention.

Stoick sighs, stopping his actions to look at his disgrace of a sister. "What do you want Ink Splatter?" The blond demands, glaring at her.

The girl in question squares her shoulders, and glares at the man with the large double blade ax. Hulda despises the nickname, but holds her tongue. "Have you seen Ashes?" Hulda asks with a monotone voice. The auburn hair girl knew she needed to be good, and practice her more political side to secure her spot at the Gathering.

"I actually haven't seen that pest all day. Almost went through the whole morning without any annoyances, then you showed your face." Stoick said ruthlessly sneering at the youngest Haddock

Hulda refuses to bite, not feeling up for the physical punishment that would come with it. Instead she took a deep breath and smiled at her elder brother, causing him to lose his smirk suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"Thank you for the information Stoick," Hulda said diplomatically. "I shall continue my search elsewhere. Until dinner." She says with a polite nod, and turns to walk towards the docks.

Snotlout Jorgenson pokes his head out of the back of the workshop. "Hate to tell yeah Stoick, but your little sister is sounding more and more like your father each time I speak with her." The large adult says with a small chuckle. He still wears the same attire, the only notable difference from his younger adult years is that Snotlout has a sizable beard, and has a full black bear cape he will wear out of the forge.

Stoick growls, scrunching up his face. "She is screwing somethin' up for me Uncle. I can feel it in my bones." The blond says, glaring at his siblings retreating figure.

This causes the heavily muscled man to sigh, disliking the hate towards Berk's new 'hiccup'. Snotlout only has a son, Shoutlout, with Ruffnut Thorston before she came incapable of carrying anymore children. The black haired man saw Hulda as if she was his own daughter, hoping that by doing this the Gods will forgive him for the grief he caused Hiccup.

Grabbing his cape off the coat hook, Snotlout attaches it to his round shoulder pads. "Then I guess I should go help her. Finish the welding for the new dragon trough." He commands before heading off after his only niece.

Snotlout caught up with her quickly, and gave her a light push on the shoulder. Hulda stumbled forwards, furious, and about to begin shouting until she saw her favourite person, Uncle Snotlout.

"Farbror!" She exclaimed, using the olden way to say Uncle. Even though Snotlout is technically a second cousin to Hiccup's children, it was easier for them to simply call him Uncle. In fact they call all of Hiccup's close friends either Aunt or Uncle.

Snotlout smiled at the nickname, and opened his arms just in time to catch Hulda jumping into them. "Hello there my Valkyrie, what are you up to?" He asks, as he carefully sets her on the ground.

The simple question cause Hulda to smile, and she began a quick speech.

"Okay we'll you know how dad will randomly be in a good mood? Well at first he was angry, and I assume that's from punching Termagant the other day," Hulda said sheepishly, causing Snotlout to laugh. Termagant the Second was the only daughter of Fishlegs and Heather Ingerman. They also had three sons, Oswald the Second, Dagur the Second, and Alvin the Second. Oswald is the oldest, then its Termagant, Dagur, and lastly Alvin.

Termagant was a stuck up bitch.

"So I was gonna stay home all day. And by mid-morning I was all done with stitching up the torn tunics and trousers. As I went to go and put away mom and dad's, I see dad's drawings, and I'm thinking, well this is strange because dad always hides them in his table drawer. So I put the clothes on the bed and start snooping." Hulda rambles, not stopping for a breath. Snotlout listened to his niece intently. "Dad was down right pissed, I thought for sure this time he'll disown me, thank the Gods I actually kept my mouth shut, and I ran out of there into the forest. Then dad caught up to me and we had the most uncomfortable conversation ever Farbror, it felt like torture!" Snotlout nodding along with the young lady as they walked down the docks, and head to the rocky beach, towards the maze of tunnels.

Snotlout felt a pang of pity for his cousin. Hiccup and Hulda use to be inseparable, always talking, creating, exploring, learning, and cooking together. But as soon as the little lady turned nine Hiccup stopped treating her like a daughter and more like the possible future Heir of Berk. Instead of laughing off her accidents Hiccup begun to lecture her, and the more pressure he put on Hulda, the worst Hulda's mistakes became. As the young Haddock's mistakes increased, so did Hiccup's frustration. Quickly their loving relationship that vikings were envious of was destroyed. Snotlout watched it all unfold and tried to warn his cousin, but Hiccup refused to listen. So instead of fighting the Chief, Snotlout made sure his only niece still had a loving father figure, even if it wasn't her actual father.

Snotlout knew this annoyed Hiccup, but calmed the Dragon Master's anger by giving him random updates on his daughter's life.

"Then dad said _You are my blood, and therefore can fight for the title of Chief of Berk,_ or something like that and invited me to the Chief gathering, and said I could bring Ashes!" Hulda says, the excitement making her voice bubble through the familiar cave. Snotlout smiled widely and put his thick arm around the petite girl.

"This is fantastic my Valkyrie! If Ashes is not sleeping, then she might be out looking for you." Snotlout said softly, squeezing Hulda tightly to him.

The green eyed youth laughed, feeling very much at home in the cave with her uncle. He was the only one who accepted her, helped her with Ashes, and was the only one who attempted to train her. Snotlout comes to Hulda and asks for her help when trying to upgrade something, gets her opinion and her plans, then follows them out. The youngest Haddock might be helpless in the forge, but she could come up with some fantastic blue prints.

They walk to the end of the cave and find Ashes sleeping in a nest of scrap metal that Snotlout gave to the girls. Ashes got separated from her pack years ago, and let Hulda fill the void. Hulda's stealth came in handy while trying to make this dragon her friend. Hiccup wanted to reunite it with its herd as soon as Ashes was caught. Hulda befriended Ashes, and got Snotlout to help her train the small dragon. After Hulda and Ashes built a strong bond, the green eyed girl confronted her father, which sent him into a rage for undermining him. Hulda was kicked out of the house, and Hiccup banned anyone from letting her live with them, pointedly making the threat at Snotlout.

That is when Hulda and Ashes found this cave, and she lived there for the week, catching fish in the shallows, have Ashe cook them, and eating them together. Snotlout, knowing full well the amount of trouble he would be in if he got caught, brought scrap metal to Hulda's cave, and gave it to the girls. It was Hulda's first punishment of this scale from Hiccup, and she was only 14. Now at the age of 19, has dealt with 5 of these types of punishments. Snotlout couldn't stand them and helped Hulda with every single one, something that he made sure Hiccup knew.

The small dragon, bounds out of her nest, tackling Hulda to the ground with a flurry of kisses. Laughing, Hulda holds her dragon to her while turning her head away from Ashes. The dragon's body was a light shade of grey, except for her lower jaw and underbelly which is shades darker. The tips of every spike covering Ashes body are tinged blue.

Snotlout laughs at the signs of affection, a tear of laughter coming from his slate blue eyes. "Well isn't this just adorable? Come on, we need to head back to your quarters." Snotlout said quickly, turning to walk out of the crave.

The black haired man might be getting soft with age, but he will fight Odin himself before letting anyone see it.

The two vikings made their way back to the Chief's hut, dragon in tow. Snotlout and Hulda spoke vividly about their day to day lives, and what the Gathering might be like. Snotlout let his niece know about the tension between the Hairy Hooligans and the Murderous Tribes, and how an agreement needs to be made at the Gathering or else a viking war could break loose. Snotlout has been to a few, being Hiccup's left hand, and Fishlegs being Hiccups right hand man.

Hulda nodded, reaching her hut as her Uncle finished giving her the information. Snotlout also warned the young lady to be on her best behaviour, and to only speak up when it's respectable to do so.

Heading Snotlout's warning Hulda gave him a large hug, and headed inside, Ashes on her heels.

"Mom?" She calls, letting the door slam shut behind her.

With a soft sigh, Astrid heads down the stairs to greet her only daughter. "I'm right here Hulda."

The blonde woman smiles as she sees her daughter's happy expression. "What's the good news?" She asks, sitting down on the wooden couch.

Hulda sits beside her mother, a little bit nervous. Pulling Ashes into her lap, Hulda smiles at the older woman. "Dad said I could come to the Chief Gathering and part take in the running for Chief…"

Astrid's blue eyes widen, and stares at her daughter shocked. She and Hiccup agreed that their daughter was much to weak for the attempt to be granted that power. "What?"

"Mom I want the chance to be Chief, please!" The auburn hair woman begs, a slight edge to her voice. She could tell by Astrid's face that a fight was about to break out.

Blue eyes narrowed at harden green ones. "Hulda you are not strong enough, you'll have to battle both your brother's, and you'll die!" Astrid exclaims, knowing if Hiccup actually allows her to fight for this her stubborn daughter will not yield, for Hulda was the most headstrong viking in Berk... Other than Hiccup of course.

Hulda stands up, placing Ashes gently on the couch, glaring at her mother. "THEN I DIE MOM!" She snaps, body shaking from anger. Before her mother has another chance to speak, Hulda continues. "Seriously, let me do this! All I'm asking is permission to fight for my birth right!" She begs softly, back straight, hands balled into fists at her sides.

Back outside, Hiccup is almost home when he notices Snotlout coming towards him from Hiccup's destination. "Snotlout," Hiccup says with a nod of his head.

Snotlout blocks his path causing Hiccup to sigh. "You know the street is plenty big enough for you to go around me."

The larger male glares at the smaller one, causing the Chief's back to straighten. "Well out with it."

Grabbing his Chief's shoulder Snotlout leans in close. "You let Hulda fight fair and square for your seat. Don't give her this chance and snatch it away again."

Hiccup tried to interrupt to defend his actions, but Snotlout won't let him. "Seriously Hiccup. Either try to mend the relationship, and let her die with honor, or deny her the chance, and watch her leave Berk behind."

The Chief sighs, looking down at his leather boots. "Neither of those outcomes sound like something I want Snotlout."

"It's not the outcomes that matter here. And it's also not about what you want. This is about your only daughter, and the time you use between now and the end." Feeling confident in his warning, Snotlout leaves his cousin to get back to the forge.

Toothless nudges Hiccup forward, and the two make it back to the house. As they step inside, Hiccup is not even a little surprised to hear yelling.

"NO! No Hulda and that's final! UNDERSTAND ME!?" Astrid screams, as Toothless joins Stormfly on the rafters of the ceiling.

What does surprise Hiccup is the tone and volume in which Hulda responds with. "While I understand you loud and clear mother, I simply cannot accept those terms. I would rather die than pass on the opportunity."

"Very nicely spoken Hulda." Hiccup states, moving to stand beside his wife. He can see that Astrid's eyes are brimming with tears, and that she was beginning to feel crushed.

Putting an arm around his wife, he looks at his daughter. Hulda's head is held high, back straight, hands fisted, face unreadable.

Hulda nods her head slightly to her father's compliment. "Thank you," She says, crossing her arms over her small chest, back straight and rigid, chin jutting outwards.

Astrid turns to her husband, her blue eyes brimmed with tears. "This will not happen Hiccup." The wife of the Chief is ready for a fight.

Scratching the back of his neck, Hiccup shrugs at the blonde and looks his daughter in the eye. "I already gave Hulda permission, I can't go back on my word. Right Astrid?"

The blue eyed woman shoves her husband towards the hearth of the house, and quickly grabs her youngest child's meek bicep. "There is no muscle here! And you think you could defeat your brothers!?"

Hulda flinches back, pain shooting through her body at her mother's strong grip. The youngest Haddock has done her best to keep her cool, to stay calm and collected, to show Hiccup that she could and would make a fantastic Chief.

Green eyes meet blue, and Hulda slowly shakes her head at Astrid. "No mom, I do not believe I could beat the twins."

Confused and incapable of understanding, Astrid represses the urge to shake her daughter. "Do you have a death wish!?"

"Maybe I do! Just let me try!" Hulda cries, trying to pry her mother's fingers off her arm. Her own eyes begin to well up with tears from the pain.

Hiccup puts his hands on Astrid's shoulders. "You have to let go of her Astrid." He could feel the slight tremble through the blue eyed beauty's body. He knows why, he understands. They know their sons will yield to each other as soon as they realize they can't win the fight, Hiccup and Astrid will not have to worry about losing one of their boys. Unlike Hulda, who will die for the cause. Neither parents are ready to lose their children.

Hulda is the only one who is ready. She is ready to leave the land of Berk, and go on thousands of adventures. She is ready to become a great viking and lead a village of people. Hulda is ready to tame and befriend an amazing dragon, and bring peace to nations.

After a few moments of internal war, Astrid releases her daughter's arm and leans against her Chief for support.

The young woman steps away from her parents and rubs the purple tunic that covers her arm. Hulda can tell by the throbbing that she will have a bruise on her upper arm.

"A Chief must show no fear, no worry… A Chief is a leader first, and a man second…" Hiccup says sternly. "Now, one of you two need to start dinner, I am starving." He sighs making eye contact with both of the Haddock women before climbing the stairs to tackle more paper work.

Astrid stares at her daughter. "You heard your father. Cook dinner, I'll grab your brothers and Valka." Astrid looks at her feet and begins to walk past the frozen girl. "I cannot even stand to look at you right now."

Astrid says this under her breath, but Hulda still hears her mother loud and clear. Her knees finally becoming way to weak, she sits on the couch beside her dragon and allows the tears to fall down her face while swallowing the sobs.

Eventually the tears stop and dry on her skin. Giving Ashes a quick hug, Hulda walks out of the back door to grab a plucked chicken out of the ice box. The ice box is just a stone container with a bunch of ice in it, it helps keep the meet from rotting.

The green eyed girl lights hearth, puts the chicken on the spit and hanging a cauldron filled with vegetables just above the fire.

Hulda throws some herbs into the cauldron, and burns herself rubbing the herbs into the chicken skin. Just a small first degree burn.

As she slowly rotates the chicken her brothers, mother, and grandmother enter the house.

"That smells delightful!" Valka compliments happily walking to greet her granddaughter with a hug. "Hey Amma*," Hulda replies.

"You are so much like your grandfather, Stoick. He could cook, sing, dance, and he was a huge dork most of the time. He was very stubborn as well, but kind hearted, would always put the people above his own wants and needs. You are exactly like him, and he was a great man!" Valka smiled hoping her words would encourage her granddaughter and get her daughter-in-law to stop whining and complaining about the situation.

Hiccup came down the stairs, greeting his sons happily. He pulled Astrid in for a kiss, which she returned but without any emotion.

Everyone grabbed some food, and sat at the table. No one spoke expect for when Valka complimented Hulda on how great the meal tasted. Which it was, but Hiccup could not find the words to express himself. So he went for a different topic.

"So the gather is in two days, tomorrow we leave by boat at sun up. All three of yo-" Hiccup was cut off by his sons scoffing in disbelief.

"Wait do you mean the three of us!?" Finn growled out.

"That runt is NOT coming! No way!" Stoick barked.

"ENOUGH!" Hiccup shouted, slamming his fist on the table. "I am your father and I am your Chief. I ultimately who decides to take my chair, and how dare both of you treat your sister with such disrespect." He shouted. He never understood why the boys would always pick on their sister. "I am so sick of you acting like children, you all need to grow up. Yes your sister is attending the Gathering, and thank the Gods she is because neither of you are as good with diplomacy as Hulda is. She is the only one who will be allowed to talk, the two of you and stand there silently." Hiccup snapped at his boys, pointing at the two of them with his chicken leg before eating it.

Hulda sat up very straight and a small grin graced her face. This was the first time her father complimented her on something other than her cooking in a very long time.

* * *

 _*Amma = Norse word for_ Grandmother


End file.
